The brothers Grimm and the Rose Red
by Breaca Grimm
Summary: How will the brothers cope with the arrival of a strange young woman to Marbaden. and the return of the mirror queen. What has this young stranger to the brothers lives got to offer them in the way of friendship and love, and can she help them survive?
1. Chapter 1

**The Brothers Grimm and the Rose Red**

It had been a long and weary days ride for Breaca Horton, as she dismounted in the village square in Maraban. She sighed as she slid from the saddle, and smiled gratefully at the stable boy who came to take her horse from her.

"Take care of her lad, she's done me proud today" smiled the young woman as he took the reins from her hand.

The boy not sure of what to make of the young womans cloak and breeches simply nodded and led the horse away for the night. Suddenly Breaca started startling the boy.

"Wait, where would I find the Brothers Grimm, I have heard they now reside here in this village?" she asked.

The boy finally realising this stranger was a young woman around the same age as the brothers smiled ad pointed to the village tavern.

"Thank you." she smiled tossing the boy a coin for his help, and headed off towards the tavern, what she found was to an extent what she expected, the younger of the brothers was tucked up in a corner with a mug of ale and a pretty young woman, Breaca remembered from childhood called Angelika, and a worn leather book in his hand, he seemed to be reading from it, the other brother was at the bar surrounded by a bevy of pretty girls all vying for his attention and a kiss, he seemed to be reveling in it. Breaca shook her head in disgust at the elder Grimm's behaviour, she was no prude, but come on not 5 or six girls. Sighing she headed for the younger of the Grimm brothers, pulling her hat down over her hair.

Quickly before they could protest she pulled up a chair and plonked herself down on it next to Angelika and gave her a quick hug. The younger Grimm seemed highly affronted by this brazen act and pulled himself straight and was about to tell her where to go when Breaca whipped off her hat and grinned.

"BREACA!" Squealed Angelika "What in the world are you doing here?"

The younger Grimm looked stunned.

"You two know each other?" he questioned.

"Yes, me and Breaca learned the ways of the forest together, she left, how long ago 4 years?" asked Angelika.

"Nope it's been 5 years since I was home, and no I didn't make my fortune, I made enough to retire on though." smiled the young woman.

"Where are my manners?" gasped Angelika "Breaca this is my fiancée Jakob Grimm, Jakob this is Breaca Horton and old friend of mine as you may have gathered." smiled Angelika.

Jakob smiled and gently kissed Breacas hand.

"A pleasure." he smiled marvelling at how she had managed to get all her hair under the hat she had worn, it fell almost to the floor when she sat down, in soft copper waves and curls.

"I take it you have not yet met my brother Wilhelm?" asked Jakob "Most of us call him Will and I am more often known as Jake." He explained already taking a liking to the pretty young woman who had just got home. "May I ask how you made your living?"

"I was a soldier, till I was injured last month,then I was found out and discharged." she explained "I assure you if it hadn't happened I 'd still be there, even though Carl was killed last year trying to stop the French."

"Oh Bre, I'm sorry." said Angelika

"It's fine, he died a hero, and I managed to sneak into the sick room to be there when he passed, he was not alone I assure you, that alone gives me more comfort than anything." she replied, smiling weakly at her old friend. Her smile finally dissolved as she was enveloped in a hug from her friend.

"Well what do we have here?" came a smug voice from behind them "And who is this?" It continued.

"Ah Will this Is Breaca Horton, she's an old friend of Angelikas, she's just returned home after five years away." explained Jake.

Jake noticed the coldness in his brothers voice as he thought the figure in his fiancées arms had been a man.

"Oh, how do you do miss Breaca?" questioned the elder Grimm his voice warming considerably at the thought of a new female face.

"I am well." she replied a little more coldly than intended stung by his coldness.

Wilhelm recoiled and a cocky look appeared on his features.

"Do you have a husband Miss, to take care of you, though dressed as you are I would be surprised." he countered cringing inwardly at his rudeness.

Suddenly he stepped back as the young woman turned a hard look in his direction.

"After the things I have seen men do to one another, I am glad to be alone, I have seen things that would make you cry like a baby, and be sick to the stomach, master Grimm, do not presume I need any man to care for me, I am quite capable on my own." she replied in a deadly whisper that even Angelika did not recognise as her friend.

"No man would want a woman with a tongue like that anyway." he shot back not noticing the girls hand curling into a fist at her side.

Jake made a move to stop her, but was held back by Angelika, who shook her head.

"It is about time he learned to hold his tongue, she may just be the one to do it." she explained.

"What woman wears an army uniform anyway? She must be a ..."

Wilhelm never finished his sentence as Breacas fist slammed into his jaw sending him flying.

"One more Wilhelm Grimm and I swear to God I will remove your heart with my blade." she growled having unsheathed her sword as she had punched him.

"I have my reasons for being as I am, and until you can keep a civil tongue in your head and behave yourself, I saw you at the bar, do not pretend innocence, you will never find out the reasons behind my mystery." And with that she stalked from the tavern, swiftly followed by Angelika who non too gently kicked the elder Grimm.

"You never learn do you?" she forced out trying not to curse the blonde man laid on the floor.

Will just groaned and held his now throbbing jaw. "Lord she can throw a punch" he thought out loud.

Outside Angelika was trying to calm down a furious and distraught Breaca who was pacing like a mad woman and whispering curses under her breath that would have made lucifer himself blush.

"Breaca stop!" demanded Angelika grabbing the younger womans arm.

"How dare he!" bit out Breaca "How dare he insult me like that, I've a mind to challenge him to a duel."

Angelika looked stunned

"You'd do what" questioned an incredulous Angelika

"I'd challenge him to a duel if he didn't look so damn inept with weapons." she said a small smile gracing her face. "I've done it before and I have no doubt I'll do it again, strangely always came' out on top, don't know how though." she giggled a little.

Angelika looked stunned, her old friend had changed so much, she was as quick to calm as she was to anger.

"I should apologise, I shouldn't have hit him, he just hit a sore spot, I was to be married 2 years ago, my fiancée was killed in battle like my brother." she explained a lone tear finding its way down her cheek.

"Since then for my own safety and to ensure my job, I have dressed like a man, and to reinforce this image I have had to act like one, I thank my father and brother for allowing me to be trained in the same way as my brother. Otherwise I'd never have survived if they hadn't." she added sadly.

In the house by the window Jake shook his head sadly and looked at his brothers stunned face.

"When Angelika told you not to judge the people who are returning home, she was talking about this young woman I'd wager." he commented.

Will just slumped onto the table his head on his arms, his jaw throbbing in time to his pulse.

The sound of the door opening made him look up, in the doorway stood a tired in ill looking Breaca, Jake quickly crossed the room and led her to a chair by the fireplace, gently sitting her down. Looking up she smiled her thanks.

"Wilhelm?" she said quietly in a voice he nearly did not recognise.

He looked at the young woman sat in the chair looking for a moment very small and fragile as if the world was proving too much, and felt something in him tug and making him want to reach out and hold her close.

"Yes?" he said in a warmer tone than before. "What is it? " he questioned.

"I just wanted, I mean, look I'm sorry, I shouldn't have hit you, there's no excuse for it, I'm sorry." she just about got the words out before everything she had been through in the past few years caught up with her and she broke down, she angrily brushed away the tears, but they refused to stop coming.

Suddenly Will crossed the room and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What has this world done to you Breaca to make you so angry?" he questioned gently.

"Do you really want to know Wilhelm Grimm, it is not the happiest of tales nor is it the most romantic, nor is it a tale of heroism, it is however a tale of survival, pure and simple, I survived, I survived the French, I survived living as a man for 3 years and I survived loosing my brother and the only man I have ever loved, do not presume to tell me that. I am unloved and will always be so, you are wrong on that, I will always have his love and the memory of it." she replied her eyes momentarily glowing emerald in the fire light. "Angelika, I do not mean nor intend to trespass but, do you have somewhere I can stay for a few nights, I will of course look for a place to live in the morning." she asked shakily


	2. Staying the night

A/N

I know I didn't put any disclaimers or anything in the last chapter, sorry, The brothers grimm unfortunately don't belong to me. I also clicked I've been calling Marbaden Maraban, sorry, realised after I'd watched the dvd last night.

Sorry it's been so long since I updated I've been sewing my costume for a re-enactment event I'm attending.

Previous chapter

"Angelika I do not mean nor intend to trespass but, do you have somewhere I can stay for a few nights, I will of course look for a place to live in the morning." she asked shakily.

Now Breaca is home how will she adjust to being back in village life rather than in the life she knew in the army.

**Staying the night **

"Breaca you are welcome anytime." interrupted Jakob trying to make up for his brothers rudeness.

Angelika nodded as if to say you will be safe here.

"Thank you." smiled the young redhead.

"My brother here." said Jake dragging Will to a door. "Will ensure you have a bed tonight with clean sheets and a warm blanket, won't you?" he added as he nearly threw his older brother out of the tavern door.

"Sir are you intending for your brother to give up his bed for the night?" questioned Breaca.

"No, no we for once managed to find a house to stay in with more than 2 rooms." grinned the young man swiftly following his brother out of the door.

He quickly popped his head back in.

"Oh Angelika could you show her the way, I want to make sure he does as he's been asked to do?" he asked sweetly.

"Yes, don't worry Jake she'll get there, we'll have to get her things from the stables though first."

Breaca looked at her old friend with a bemused expression on her face.

"Why do I have to be shown?" she asked "Why not just give me directions, I'm sure I can find it."

"It's quite a difficult house to find, it's tucked away so if you don't know where it is you won't find it.

Breaca chuckled at that, and was rewarded with a bemused look from Angelika.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she and her friend made their way through the village.

"Nothing, I was just amused slightly by the fact that the famous Grimm brothers are living in the most concealed house in the village, I thought they'd have wanted a more openly reachable house."

"Will did, but Jacob won the argument this time. He was fed up of finding the village maidens outside the inn every morning swooning when the brothers came out, he said it was time for some peace and quiet for once, which reminds me, you haven't seen a mad Italian any where around on your journey here have you?" enquired the darker haired woman.

"Was he bald with what looks like a dead rat perched on top of his head, and a dodgy tache?" she replied.

"So you have seen him?"

"Yep, and I think he was heading here except he was on foot not horse back like me. So it's going to be a while."

"How long ago"

"About 2 days ago, he should be here in another 2 days."

The two friends continued their conversation as they neared the house.

"Well here we are." said Angelika by way of breaking the silence that commenced as they approached.

"Angelika, do you think the brothers will mind if I stay?" enquired Breaca, her old childhood lack of confidence returning.

For a moment Angelika saw the small, forlorn, red headed child in the tightly laced dress, her hair hanging down her back in tight curls, who had moved to the village after the death of her mother, and had taken so much out of the children just trying to get her to talk to them, let alone play.

"Breaca, the brothers will not mind, they never have minded taking in a friend of mine, and they are well known for helping folks hereabout, I'm sure you have heard about the forest and the mirror queen?"

Yes, I have, though I hear that part of the mirror was found in the claws of a dead raven not so long ago."

Angelika gasped.

"Breaca you jest? Surely you jest, do not tease me so friend."

"No Angelika I swear it, one of my old friends in the army found the bird. It was Hans i think, yes it was he kept it with him, until the day I left for home, when he gave it to me for safe keeping, said it would bring me luck. Then again he always was a strange one Hans."

Breaca then stopped.

"Angelika why are you so scared of a piece of mirrored glass, surely it cannot do any harm, the queen was destroyed by the ever mighty brothers Grimm." she chuckled.

"Yes she was, but knowing her kind of magic Bre, she will have found a way to survive what Jake and Will did, and she will do everything in her power to return, and destroy the brothers."

"Well we shall see, you know what birds are like for picking up shiny things, the raven probably found the glass on a rubbish heap."

"True, that could well be. Oh well let's keep going they will be waiting for you, and despite his calm and quiet exterior, Jake never likes to wait too long for anything."

The two young women stopped at the dilapidated door of the Grimm brothers house and Angelika turned the handle admitting herself and Breaca into the front room. The youngest of the brothers turned at the sound of their entry and smiled.

"We shan't keep you up long Breaca,you must have had a long day today and be exhausted."

"Thank you, I am, and thoroughly puzzled as to why you would take in a woman like me, an ex soldier and one who dresses like a man at the best of times never mind when relaxing." she smiled, suddenly turning shy.

"You intrigue me, and completely confuse my brother, yet you seem to be a gentle soul so far, and add to that any friend of Angelikas is a friend of ours, and therefore welcome in our home anytime they need help or a place to spend the night." he explained.

NEXT CHAPTER

The dreaded queen comes into play as her small reserves of power begin to build and affect the everyday life of our heroine, can she resist the queen, and will she get to know the brothers and learn to tolerate Will never mind like him?


	3. authors note

A.N.

You will have to excuse my lack of updates, I've changed jobs and found the love of my life, and things like this i.e my story have just faded into the back ground. However, i've decided to pick it up again and maybe another story along the way for all you n.c.i.s fans out there. By the way one of my reviewers asked a rather valid question, why was Breaca a soldier and that it's a very unusual thing to do for a woman of that time. It did happen however and some women were very successful at it. Google it trust me it's true. She started out simply tailing her brother making sur ehe came to no harm, and graduall as things became more dangerous he managed to smuggle her a uniform which she wore and in the end was accepted as one of the men, but for now that's all i'm going to reveal, otherwise i'll give too much away.

Gemma


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